


Tigers, Bears and Sidney and Geno are missing...oh my!

by Flyingintospace



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, Pittsburgh Penguins, Zoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-08 20:52:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyingintospace/pseuds/Flyingintospace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sidney and Geno are de-aged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Mario wasn't sure how he had gotten roped into this one. But here he was at the Pittsburg Zoo scooping a whimpering toddler up off the paved path where he had just face planted.  


Sidney pressed his face into Mario's shoulder crying softly.  


"Oh Sidney, it's going to be okay," Mario attempted to comfort the boy as he sat down on a near by bench. Sidney hadn't started wailing yet and Mario really wanted to hold that off.  


Evgeni tugged at Mario's pant leg staring up at him with huge worried eyes. "Sid all wite?"  


"He'll be all right? Won't you Sidney?" Mario said.  


Evgeni crawled up on the bench beside them, staring worriedly at Sid.  


Mario had been elected to watch the two of them as the others were at practice and had quickly run out of things to do with two toddlers. It had also been a very nice day and Mario had decided that they needed to be outside. So heading to the zoo had been the plan.  


They had headed through the Asian Forest Exhibit. Evgeni had been fascinated with all the big cats, though Sidney had been more nervous hiding behind Mario's leg for most of the times. But when they had come across the Red Panda exhibit Sidney had been fascinated and Mario had had a hard time pulling him away from there.  


Their next stop had been the Kids Kingdom, and Sidney and Evgeni had played hard in there. Mario had forgotten how exhausting little kids could be. He had kind of hoped that they would be to tired to continue on but they seemed to have an inexhaustible reserve of energy. So on they continued towards the Water's Edge Exhibit.  


Sidney and Evgeni had been fascinated by the playful sea otters and Sidney had once again hidden behind Mario as the had reached the polar bears. Mario had suggested that they go see the aquarium and the penguins. Evgeni had gotten very excited by this prospect and grabbing Sidney's hand he had taken off running. Sidney had tried his best to keep up with his friend but had ended up sprawled on the path.   


"I fine," Sidney nodded, looking up at Mario.  


"We go see penguins now?" Evgeni asked looking hopeful.  


"Penguins?" Sidney agreed.  


"All right, let's go see the penguins," Mario answered, getting up from the bench. He elected to carry Sidney as Evgeni took off running once more. He was glad that that hadn't escalated into more. All in all Sidney and Evgeni had been quite well behaved children.  


It didn't take them long to reach the penguin exhibit and Mario set Sidney down next to Evgeni and the two of them stared at the penguins chattering away to each other. Mario decided that they would be at this for a while and sat down on the bench to wait for them. He watched them for a while as they pointed at the things that the penguins were doing, chatting and giggling. Something distracted him further down the path and Mario swore that he only looked away for a second but when he looked back both of his superstars were gone.  


Mario jumped up from the bench scanning the small crowd by the enclosure. They weren't there! They weren't anywhere in sight! "Sidney! Evgeni!" Mario called causing a few heads to turn towards him.  


Not wanting to attract too much attention he went for a quick walk around the aquarium but they were nowhere in sight.  


"Excuse me," Mario asked a tall man who was standing next to the exhibit. "You haven't see two kids have you. One is a taller with dark hair and the other is shorter with curly dark hair."  


"Sorry man," the guy answered. "Hey aren't you Mario Lemieux?"  


"No," Mario snapped and hurried off. He didn't have time or the patience for dealing with fans right now. He wasn't quiet sure what he would do if he didn't find them.

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

Mario had searched the entire aquarium without a sign of the two boys. No one that he had asked had seen them and calling their names had proved fruitless. He was resigned to the fact the he had lost them and decided to head to the zoo office to try and get some help.  


He was walking quickly by the Water's Edge Exhibit when he heard a suspiciously familiar giggle.  


He spun on his heel in the direction of the sound and saw two familiar looking heads, standing with a man, pointing at the sea otters.  


"Sidney! Evgeni!" Mario snapped, hurrying over to the two. The man standing there with them turn and Mario realized that it was Flower. He was never going to live this one down.  


"Lose something?" Flower asked looking innocent.  


"Why did you you two leave the aquarium!?" Mario was trying his hardest not to shout but not quite succeeding.  


Sidney's eyes widened and he ducked behind Flower, leaving Evgeni to explain.  


"Wanted to show Sid something," Evgeni said. "We back but you gone and we find Flower."  


"And where exactly did you come from?"  


"Your wife said you were here so I came to relieve you. I found them by themsleves." Flower shrugged.  


Mario sighed. There was no point in yelling anymore he supposed.  


Sidney peered out from behind Flowers leg. "Mario not angry?"  


"No, I'm not angry. But no more running away all right?"  


Sidney nodded in agreement, coming over to Mario. "We go see monkeys now?"  


"I can take them if you want," Flower offered. But Sidney was staring up at him, his eyes huge.  


"That's all right. How about we all go? I could use another set of eyes." Mario compromised.  


Flower smiled and Sidney and Evgeni took off in the direction of the monkeys.


	2. Chapter 2

It may have been a lot of work to look after the toddlers but Mario was actually enjoying it. His own children were growing up and didn't seem to need him quite as much as they used to. So when Flower had offered to take Sidney and Evgeni after the zoo Mario had surprised both of them by saying no.  


The rest of the afternoon and evening had gone well and Mario had had no trouble getting them both to go to bed. He had things that he needed to get done and it was nearing midnight when he finally finished. Before heading to bed himself he stopped to check on the two. Peering in from the hall, Mario saw Evgeni sprawled across the bed, sleeping soundly but he couldn't see Sidney anywhere.  


Mario stepped into the room and over to the bed but there was no Sidney.  


Mario swore softly. He didn't really need to have lost him twice in one day did he?  


A quick check around the room; under the bed, in the bathroom and closet assured him that Sidney wasn't there.  


An idea came to Mario and he slipped out the room without disturbing Evgeni.  


The room that Mario had put the two boys in was one that was close to the master bedroom so that he could keep an eye on them. But the room that Sidney had called his was another floor up.  


Mario quickly climbed the stairs and headed for the door that he could see was open just a crack.  


The room hadn't been changed much since Sidney had left and Mario wondered if that had drawn Sidney there. As Mario entered the room quietly he saw that Sidney was indeed in there, sitting cross legged in front of the window staring up at the clear night sky. Mario joined him.  


"Why aren't you in bed, Sidney?" Mario asked.  


"No sleep. Can see stars better up here. I came to make wish." Sidney answered, continuing to stare at the sky.  


"What are you wishing for Sidney?" Mario asked.  


"That Geno and me be big again. But no like before." Sidney replied.  


"What would you like to change, Sidney?" Mario asked having the funny feeling that he already knew the answer.  


Sidney didn't answer though he did blush slightly.  


Mario didn't press the issue any longer and let Sidney watch the stars until he fell asleep, resting against Mario's side, before carrying him back to bed


	3. Chapter 3

They had all decided that Mario was the best as watching the two kids and he had decided to take them to the park. It was another nice day and there was a playground there. Others had had the same idea and the playground was quite busy. Sidney and Evgeni were happily playing on the slide so Mario took a seat on a bench. He pulled out his phone to check his emails keeping an eye on the two of them.  


Evgeni giggled as he flew down the slide, landing in the sand by Sidney.  


"Let's go again!" Evgeni shouted, grabbing the slightly reluctant Sidney's hand to pull him along. The two of them reached the stairs to the slide seconds before three other larger boys did. Evgeni eyed the three newcomers, standing slightly in between them and Sidney, feeling the need to protect his friend.  


Sidney felt the tension of the group and was about to tell Geno that they could wait but Geno wasn't about to give in.  


"Go ahead, Sid," Geno said without turning to Sidney.  


Sidney took a step towards the slide but was instantly blocked.  


"We was here first." the boy who was obviously the leader of this little group said.  


"Geno, is okay they can go first," Sidney said, ducking back behind Evgeni.  


"No, they weren't. We were here first." Geno answered. "They can wait."  


"What did you say?" the bully took a step forward menacingly.  


"You can wait."  


Sidney wished that he could have moved faster as the bullies fist hit Geno in his stomach. Geno went down curling against the pain. Sidney launched himself at the bully only to be grabbed by Mario as he rushed over. The presence of an adult had the group scattering.  


Mario set Sidney down and he rushed over to Geno's side.  


"You okay?" Sidney asked, on his knees next to Geno.  


Geno sniffled and Mario decided that it was time for them to go home.


	4. Chapter 4

Since this game was fairly important one, after all they wouldn't be playing anymore if they lost this one, Mario decided that he should be at the rink. If for nothing else then to help field question about where his two stars had been. Sidney and Geno had not been content with staying at home and Mario had relented to them coming and had enlisted the help of one of the trainers to watch them and keep them out of sight.  


Unfortunately for the trainer that been appointed to the task the two boys disappeared not five minutes after the rest of the team had left.  


"How could I have lost them," he muttered as he frantically searched for them. They really seemed to have disappeared though and but the trainer would search everywhere he could think of before he went and told Mario what had happened.

************************************

Sidney had been extra quiet since the slide incident and Geno was worried. So when the trainer had turned his back, Geno grabbed Sidney's wrist and pulled him away, into a quiet spot where they would be able to talk.   


"What is wrong, Sid?" Geno asked.  


"We're children, Geno," Sidney muttered, just loud enough for Geno to hear. "And I can't protect you."  


"Sid?" Geno cocked his head slightly to the side as his eyes narrowed at Sidney. "Why you have to protect me?"  


"In the playground, I couldn't do anything to stop them." Sidney muttered. "I should have been able to protect you."  


Evgeni saw it in Sidney before he acted. That he was retreating away from Geno as he often did. Geno leaned forward catching both of Sidney's wrists in his hands.  


"It's not your fault, Sid," Geno said. "Shouldn't be worried about protecting me. Is my job to protect you." Evgeni tugged Sidney towards him, pressing his lips against Sidney's forehead. As he did the small space they were in was engulfed in a soft white light.

*********************************

"What do you mean that you lost them?" Mario shouted at the trainer.  


"All I did was turn around for a second and they were gone. I've looked everywhere, Sir," The trainer defended himself.  


Mario sighed. After all the times that he had lost the two he supposed that he could cut him some slack. "Well we should go look for them before someone we don't want finds them."  
Mario turned and his jaw dropped as Sidney and Evgeni came out of a storage room. Adult Sidney and Evgeni. Holding hands in the middle of the after game celebrating crowd. Mario eyes widened and he hurried towards the two men, pushing them back into the closet.  


"Are you two trying to kill me?" Mario snapped.  


"Sorry," Sidney blushed.  


"Nice to see you back to normal though. How did you managed that?" Mario asked.  


Sidney blushed again.  


But Evgeni grinned. "True love's kiss really does solve anything."  


"Oh God," Sidney face was bright red by now and Mario just laughed.  


"We'll talk about this later," Mario said. "Can you two stay in here until the crowd is gone? I would rather not answer questions about where you two have been."  


"We find something to keep us occupied," Evgeni answered as he tugged Sidney closer to him.  


"Just keep things quiet, okay," Mario suggested as he left the room


End file.
